Soldier girl starts new year abroad.

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More than 30,000 U.S. soldiers will start the new year in the Persian Gulf, far from the friends and family they've vowed to protect. Both Sept. 11 and a down economy have helped the armed forces meet their recruitment goals for the past two years. “It was the right moment to do it last year,” said Alison Reilly, 20, who joined the Army after Sept. 11. Being from a military family, she always knew she wanted to do something good for her country. And protecting America from the threat of Iraq is, to her, as good as it gets.

The Army has always been inside of me. I am a very aggressive person. I am a fighter. Ever since I was 5,1 wanted to join the Army. My dad is in it. My uncles are in it �" it's a family thing. It's in my blood.

I saw soldiers fight for us in Desert Storm. I saw old war movies. I saw history movies, and I wanted to be a part of that. Those are my people, and I have to be with them.

If I was killed during war, it wouldn't bother me. Because I did something good for the country and died a hero, and that's actually a great pride to have.

In the September llth attacks, I lost a lot of good people in my life. I lost a lot of family, and I lost a lot of friends. Deep inside I am all broken up. Every time I talk about it I get emotional. They died for what they believed in. They died as heroes.

They're my heroes.

I became a better person [since joining] the Army. I learned to respect people more. I've learned to trust people.

And I think that everybody should serve at least two years in the military. It teaches people discipline and pride. I think a whole lot of children �" adults too �" would be a lot better off if they had at least two years in the military.

My definition of war is to fight. It's violence over territory or religion or anything like that. Just like gangs fight over territory, countries fight over territory also. Anybody who tries to take anything away from you and fights with you �" that's war.

If anyone was trying to kill me and I felt that I was in absolute complete danger and if I have to kill them, then that is what I have to do to survive. It's all about'survival. I won't be jumping for joy, but I wouldn't be sad. In the Army there are a lot of risks. You can get injured at any point while doing a job.

Everybody over there I'm sure is scared. I will be scared, but I would do it. You just hope to God that nothing happens, and then if it does, at least you die a hero. So you just got to be brave. I want to do good. I don't want to mess up. I don't want anybody saying that I did a bad job.

The military world is different than the civilian world. There is someone watching you at all times. You have to be very proper in every thing you do. There are certain ways you can dress, certain makeup you can't wear. Nobody has an individual way of doing things �" that's why it's difficult. Regular civilians can do anything they want. We have to be careful how we act even in the outside when we are not on the job.

I am all for fighting. I am fighting till death.

“If I was killed during war, it wouldn't bother me, because 1 did something good for the country and died a hero.” �" Alison Reilly, 20, recent military recruit